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Joanna Gaines shares her decorating mistakes this holiday season.
The Magnolia Network co-founder, 47, documented a sweet moment decorating a Christmas tree with her 7-year-old son Crew on her Nov. 8 Instagram Reel. In another clip shared on the same day, Joanna revealed that she ran out of ornaments during the decorating process, and shared a close-up look at her unfinished tree.
“Photoshoot well. She looks great from the front,” the designer joked in the caption. “Until I find more ornaments to complete this, I’m going to teach the kids that this is a new trend.”
From the front, the sparkling tree looks full of silver tinsel and sparkling bulbs. But when Joanna approaches, her sides and back are completely exposed, save for the twinkling lights.
Joanna Gaines/Instagram
Many commenters noted that they often encounter the same issue during the holiday season, and praised Joanna for keeping it real.
One person wrote: “Haha perfect! Been on trend for years,” followed by another: “This is the most relatable post. Thank you JoJo for reminding me why we love you!”
One user added: “The fact that Joanna Gaines is only decorating the front half of the tree has given me new hope.”
The Fixer Upper: Colorado Mountain House star said Crews was inspired to put up the “vintage” tree, adding, “We felt like it needed some nostalgia and whimsy.”
“His only request is a date night with his mom,” she wrote in the first video. “He wanted to set the table, but he wanted to put up the tree. How could I refuse this request?”
The sweet clip shows the mother-son duo working to hang boxes of ornaments on a tree, with boxes of them strewn across the floor.
She also went into a little more detail about her holiday decorating process in the caption.
“I like to pace my Christmas decorations and add a little bit each weekend until Big Mama’s live tree arrives in late November,” she wrote, adding, “I made it completely transparent and ran out of ornaments by focusing only on the front. The sides are bare.”
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The Stories We Tell author previously spoke to PEOPLE about Christmas traditions and how Christmas begins to look different as kids grow up. In addition to Crew, Joanna also has sons Drake (20) and Duke (17) and daughters Ella (19) and Emmy (15) with her husband Chip.
“As my kids have gotten older, Christmas Day has started to seem later than it used to,” Joanna told PEOPLE in 2024. “We’re all in our pajamas all day, and someone always pulls out a puzzle or a board game and we all get together,” she added, noting there’s always a “competitive spirit” in the house.
she continued. “I love the holidays. Knowing that I’m going to bring all the kids home throws off my plans. We hang out, relax, and get a little spontaneous. We make hot cocoa and drive around town and see the lights with Christmas music in the background.”
